We’re picking up immediately where we left off, with Rick having just shot down Zombie Sophia.

The farm cannibals DO NOT LEARN the lesson that zombies are f*cking dangerous monsters that you don’t mess about! One of the nameless cannibals is all “OMG my mom!” when the zombie attacks her. Andrea saves the day.

Stupid Shane is stirring up sh*t about Sophia being in the barn. Hershel (lead cannibal) is kicking the survivors off his farm. Shane’s not wrong about Rick’s priorities, though. Rick is going to have to get a little better at detaching. It’s kill or be killed. He doesn’t need to go as far as “I will feed you to the zombies” Shane, but he does have to get a little more realistic about what it’s going to take to survive, long-term.

This whole Sophia situation makes me feel worst for Daryl, who worked so hard to save her, and suffered grievous injury in the process.

Glenn confronts Maggie about Sophia. Who knew what when? Maggie doesn’t seem to be getting the “moving on” part of the program.

Oh god, Carl is acting again.

I wonder what would happen if you burned a bunch of zombies. Is the smoke poisonous?

Love this scene of Rick rejecting comfort from Horrible Lori. Short, tense, his one flinch says more than a paragraph. Confrontation between Dale and Shane is just as good, as Dale says nothing in the face of Shane’s crazy. This show excels at silent communication. Less talking!

Am I alone in disliking Sophia’s mother, Carol? She just talks and talks and does nothing productive ever. Andrea and Horrible Lori are bitches, but at least they do stuff.

Hershel fondles a flask. From this, we infer he has a drinking problem. See—no words, totally effective. I already like this episode. The funeral scene is similarly short and to the point. The second half of this season was produced well and truly outside of the Darabont dust up that I’m blaming for some of the tonal problems of the first half of the season. Fifteen minutes in and this episode is everything I loved about season one.

Carol destroying a Cherokee rose plant is so much better than any speech she ever could have given.

Glenn and Maggie’s interactions remain awkward and adorable, and Glenn’s brand of optimism is particularly fetching. He’s getting pretty sexy, too. Maggie wants him to stay, he’s like, “Um, you’re farm cannibals” (it’s in the subtext, I swear). One of the other nameless farm people collapses. They’ve not done a good job establishing the farm family, as I do not know who they all are, how many there are, or why I should care about any of them beyond Hershel and Maggie.

Hershel is missing. Because, of course.

Everyone’s like, “Rick, now is not the time for an adventure.” Rick is all, “You’re pregnant, remember? We need a doctor.” There’s that pragmatic streak!

This episode is already a million times better than anything previously in the season. Pacing is much sharper and there’s no pontificating – every conversation counts. Shane comforting Carol plays as oddly sweet, a reminder that in a different world, Shane was an okay guy. Which cuts directly to Dale expressing his concerns about Shane to Horrible Lori re: Otis The Fat Cannibal. Horrible Lori doesn’t believe it, of course.

Midway point: Hershel is gone, Rick and Glenn are on the hunt, Maggie wants Glenn to stay, Horrible Lori won’t believe the worst of Stupid Shane, things are falling apart at the farm.

Rick and Glenn have a heart to heart. Glenn doesn’t think Maggie really loves him because she’s responding to shock. Glenn might be the smartest person on the show. Rick says, “It’s not like she’s going anywhere.” If this were Downton Abbey, that line would doom Maggie to a certain death.

Daryl calling Horrible Lori “Olive Oyl” makes me life.

Rick trying to cajole Hershel into helpfulness is almost painful to watch. I’m out of patience with Hershel and don’t like watching Rick pander to him. It’s a relief when Rick finally starts yelling back.

Oh great, Horrible Lori is out on her own to bring Rick and Hershel back…faster? Why does she think this is necessary? Of course she hits a zombie and flips her car.

New survivors! Two dudes find Rick, Hershel and Glenn in the bar. Rick saying, “I’m a cop” pretty much sums up his attitude. I AM a cop. Not I WAS a cop. The new survivors have traveled from Philadelphia and they ruin Rick’s dream of Fort Bening. However, you can tell the instant Rick gets suspicious of their inquiries. Just a flicker of his eyelids, but it’s there.

These guys are getting pushy. It’s getting scary.

Things are spiraling out of control. It has the air of an Old West shoot out.

Holy sh*t! Rick stone cold ices those dudes, Raylan Givens style!

The episode closes with Rick giving Glenn and Hershel a gimlet eye and Shane and T-Dog setting fire to a pile of zombies.

Status check:Officer Rick: JES*S F*CKING CHR*ST.Horrible Lori: In a ditch somewhere, who cares.Stupid Shane: Still insane but occasionally makes sense.Glenn: Now petrified of Rick.Everyone else: In various stages of grief and/or shock.

Worst thing seen/heard this week: Officer Rick murdering two people.Zombie kill of the week: Andrea at the barn with a scythe.